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All-Female Unit Fighting ISIS In Northern Iraq

A unit of female fighters is combating the Islamic State group (ISIS) in northern Iraq, according to the Daily Mail.

The women are members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a group classified as a terrorist organization by the U.S., Turkey and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Three women, all in their 20s, decided to act in August 2014 when ISIS militants began massacring Christian Yazidis who refused to convert to Islam.

“When we heard ISIS were coming to Sinjar and killing women, we came to stop the humanitarian crisis,” Roza, one of the fighters, told the Daily Mail.

"When ISIS came, we saw them take Yazidi females and enslave them," she added.

“We smuggled ourselves there from Turkey on Aug. 5,” said Deijly, the group’s commander.

The PKK has fought against the Turkish government for decades to secure an autonomous Kurdistan, according to The National.

While the PKK is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and European Union, the militant Kurdish groups in Syria aligned with the PKK are not. One of them, known as the YPJ, is an all-female militia which is also fighting ISIS.

“We were sometimes killing 10 of them a day, in the beginning of the liberation of Sinjar,” said Raparin, a third member of the group.

“The beheadings are the worst thing in the world,” Roza said. "Fighting is two forces against each other, but they are not doing this. I don't think this is in any religion."

“I don't believe they will be able to capture me," Raparin said. "If they capture me, I would rather kill myself.”

ISIS fighters are reportedly afraid of being killed by women, because they believe they will not be rewarded in heaven after death.

“When they know women are fighting, they run away,” Roza said.

“I have killed many, but I am sure all of them will not find virgins in heaven,” Deijly said.

Turkey has started bombing PKK positions, even though the nation is a part of the U.S.-led alliance against ISIS, the National reported.

The Turkish government says 116 members of its security forces and 30 civilians were killed in attacks by the PKK between July 20 and Sept. 14.